Since the first pilgrims reached the shores of Plymouth, America has shone as a beacon of religious freedom, illuminating the path to liberty for the oppressed from every land, in every generation. Extreme criticism of the proposed Muslim community center in lower Manhattan is an affront to the religious freedom that our Founding Fathers fought to secure.
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Dear Supporters of Religious Freedom: We are only nine days away from the Liberty Walk, which will be held on September 12, starting at 3:00 in St. Peter’s Church in Lower Manhattan! We have confirmed Dr. Katherine Henderson, President of Auburn Theological Seminary, and Rabbi Jeremy Kalmanofsky of Congregation Ansche Chesed as keynote speakers, along with Father Kevin Madigan from St. Peter’s Church, who will be delivering a welcome address. We also have invited Mayor Michael Bloomberg to take part in the event, whom we hope will take time out of his busy schedule to join us. We will also have other religious leaders, 9/11 family members, and civic leaders join in addressing us and walking beside us. Please be sure to confirm your attendance on Facebook and invite your friends! We also encourage you to forward this message to as many friends and colleagues as you can.
Schedule: 2:30 – Begin gathering at St. Peter’s Church (22 Barclay Street in Lower Manhattan) 3pm – Speakers will address and rally participants at St Peter’s Church 4pm – We will walk together around World Trade Center, stopping to commemorate those who died because of their American identity and values 5pm – Speakers will address us at Park51 (51 Park Place) Reminder: Please do not bring any signs on at the Liberty Walk. Rather, we ask that you bring American flags to show support for religious freedom in America. Thank you so much in advance for your participation! We look forward to seeing you on September 12! Best Regards, Joshua Stanton and Frank Fredericks Co-Directors of Religious Freedom USA Frank Fredericks, Co-Director of Religious Freedom USA, spoke to WRHU, Hempstead 88.7 FM (wrhu.org). Listen Here:  Photo Courtesy of Mirah Curzer Photography
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel was a bookworm. He both wrote and read voraciously. But he also was also a practical man who lived by his principles. A refugee from Nazi Germany, he knew injustice quite personally. So when he came to the United States, the racial segregation prevalent at the time made him cringe. He became active in the civil rights movement, marching alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma, Alabama. As he noted to a fellow marcher, “When I march in Selma, my feet are praying.” Today, the movement for religious freedom and pluralism may well define our era, much as the movement for racial equality defined Heschel’s. Mosques and community centers around the country have been singled out in a deluge of Islamophobic rhetoric and even acts of intimidation, such as the Quran burning set to take place on the anniversary of September 11 in Florida. Our constitutional rights, as well as the tolerant vision of our founding fathers, are at risk. In response, we must pray with our feet. READ MORE — including mention of the Liberty Walk. Religious Freedom USA co-Founder Joshua Stanton is set to help lead a peaceful rally in support of Park51 alongside fellow seminary students, staff, and faculty at Hebrew Union College. The idea was conceived of by fifth-year rabbinical student Jonathan Prosnit and has received widespread support from within the College.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Jonathan Prosnit (5th Year Rabbinical Student) 646-300-2509 *** MEDIA ADVISORY and PUBLIC NOTICE *** Hinei Ma-Tov Umanaim Shevet Achim Gam Yachad. Who: HUC-JIR Rabbinical, Cantorial and Education seminary students and professors rally in support of Park 51. What: A Peaceful March from Hebrew Union College campus to stand with all people of faith to denounce xenophobia and bigotry and to affirm America as a beacon for freedom of all religions. As representatives of the Hebrew Union College we say to Park 51: We welcome you, we support you and we look forward to future partnership in lower Manhattan in pursuit of peace. When: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 @ 3:15 pm Where: 1 West 4th Street (between Broadway and Mercer Street) to the future site of the Park 51 Community Center. A prayer with our feet. The Journal of Inter-Religious Dialogue recently held a panel discussion on the proposed Park51 community center in Lower Manhattan, often known as the “Ground Zero Mosque, using this video as a basis for it. Please voice your views — whether in agreement or disagreement with the panelists.
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